Health Tips: Cloves, potato provide natural cures for ulcers

[The InfoStrides]

Drinking juice made from cloves and potatoes may be the next novel cure for stomach, peptic and duodenal ulcers.

NIGERIAN researchers from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State and Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, have demonstrated how extracts of cloves (Syzigium aromaticum) exhibit anti-ulcerogenic and anti-secretory effects in rats. They concluded, "the extract proved to possess some phytochemicals, which may contribute to the observed gastric anti-ulcerogenic and anti-secretory activity."

The study titled: "Anti-ulcerogenic and anti-secretory activity of the n- butanol portion of Syzygium aromaticum in rat" was published in Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Indian researchers have also concluded that tubers of Ipomoea batatas may be useful for treating peptic ulcers.

The study titled: "Anti-ulcer activity of Ipomoea batatas tubers (sweet potato)" was published recently in Functional Foods in Health and Disease.

Ipomoea batatas tubers (sweet potato) contain ample amounts of antioxidants. It has been proven already by many scientific studies that antioxidants have ulcer-healing properties. The researchers probed the ulcer healing effect of Ipomoea batatas tubers.

The anti-ulcer activity of the tubers of Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) was studied in cold stress and aspirin-induced gastric ulcers in Wistar rats. Methanolic extracts of Ipomoea batatas tubers (TE) at two doses, viz., 400 and 800 mg /kg were evaluated in cold stress and aspirin-induced gastric ulcer models using cimetidine and omeprazole respectively as standards.

The standard drugs and the test drugs were administered orally for seven days in the cold stress model and for one day in the aspirin-induced gastric ulcer model. Gastro-protective potential, status of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase(GR)) along with GSH, and lipid peroxidation were studied in both models.

The researchers wrote, "the results of the present study showed that TE possessed gastroprotective activity as evidenced by its significant inhibition of mean ulcer score and ulcer index and a marked increase in GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR levels and reduction in lipid peroxidation in a dose dependant manner."

Also, scientists at Manchester University have discovered that potato (commonly called Irish potato in Nigeria) contain unique antibacterial molecules that can treat peptic ulcer. Members of the university's microbiology team now hope the substance, dubbed 'potato juice' could go into production as a daily diet supplement.

Inspiration came as one of the department's scientists tucked into a spud for Sunday lunch. It led to the discovery of a key molecule, which could both cure and prevent the bacteria that lives in the stomach and causes stomach ulcers and heartburn.

The discovery is one of many being made by scientists at the university as they try to develop the products and medicines of tomorrow. Uniquely, unlike with antibiotics, the stomach bacteria cannot develop resistance to the 'potato juice,' which also does not cause any side effects.

Commonly called clove, Syzygium aromaticum belongs to the plant family Myrtaceae. The locals, especially in Lagos call it konofo. It is one of the important herbs used as an indigenous medicine and spice in many Asian countries, Africa and other parts of the world.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) monographs on selected medicinal plants, Flos Caryophylli, which consists of the dried lower buds of Syzygium aromaticum (cloves) are applied externally or locally for the treatment of toothache, and minor infections of the mouth and skin; and also used as an antiseptic for dressing.

The report reads, "Flos Caryophylli of minor wounds, and, in the form of lozenges, for sore throats and coughs associated with the common cold. The essential oil (one to five per cent) is used in mouthwashes. Uses described in folk medicine, not supported by experimental or clinical data include; treatment of asthma, bleeding gums, dyspepsia, fevers and morning sickness."

According to the WHO Monograph, ethanol (95 per cent) or aqueous extracts of Flos Caryophylli inhibited the growth in vitro of Staphylococcus aureus. The juice of the lower bud inhibited the growth in vitro of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) 1:160). The powdered crude drug inhibited the growth in vitro of Yersinia enterolitica when added to the medium at a concentration of one to three per cent (w/w).

Earlier Nigerian studies found that extracts of cloves could be used to treat convulsion, seizures and sleeplessness.

Peptic ulcers occur in that part of the gastrointestinal tract, which is exposed to gastric acid and pepsin, that is, the stomach and duodenum. Gastric and duodenal ulcers are common pathologies that may be induced by a variety of factors such as stress, smoking and noxious agents including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Oxidative stress and free radical- mediated processes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders. It has been reported that in the absence of NSAIDs use or acid hyper-secretory states such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, Helicobacter pylori is the causative factor in 75 per cent of all patients with gastric ulcer and 90 per cent of all patients with duodenal ulcer.

Three classes of drugs have been shown to have a direct effect on Helicobacter pylori: antibiotics, bismuth salts, and proton pump inhibitors. Because Helicobacter pylori is difficult to eradicate, most treatment regimens combine agents from two or even all three of these cases. In all of them, patients with active peptic disease should also receive a total of six weeks of acid suppression with an H2- receptor antagonist. Peptic ulcer therapy through this combination of drugs has not been very effective due to non-compliance to drugs by patients and possible side effects of the drugs being taken continuously.

Considering the several side effects of modern medicine, naturopaths recommend that indigenous drugs with fewer side effects should be looked for as a better alternative for the treatment of peptic ulcer.

Recent studies found that different substances from plant sources not only afford gastro-protection but also accelerate ulcer healing.

The Nigerian researchers wrote, "the data presented here provided scientific evidence that the N-Butanol portion of the ethanolic extract of Syzygium aromaticum (SaBuOH) flower bud may contain biologically active substances with potential anti-ulcer properties. The extract reduced the ulcer index and the preventive index was found to be comparable to cimetidine.

"The larger dose of the extract (200mg/kg) produced an appreciable decrease in the ulcer index which is much lower than that produced by the larger dose of cimetidine (100 mg/kg). Furthermore, both the extract and cimetidine significantly decreased the volume and acid output of gastric secretion.

"Besides, it is noticed that the larger dose of the extract has provided a higher degree of ulcer prevention (93.8 per cent). This gastro-protective effect may be due to the marked decrease in the volume and acid output of gastric secretion produced by SaBuOH extract, in addition to the high flavonoids content of the extract.

"The results of our study are consistent with those of Giamperi et al. (2004) who reported that grapefruit seed extract showed good gastro-protective anti- ulcer-ogenic activity, and they attributed this effect to the anti-oxidative activity of citrus flavonoids found in grapefruit.

"Also, Heggers et al. (2002) and Reagor et al. (2002) reported that grapefruit flavonoids possess antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. The anti-ulcerogenic activity of many plant species is related to their content of flavonoids. Spartium junceum L., a species used in Turkish folk medicine to treat gastric ulcer, contains glycosylated flavonoids with antioxidant activity (Yesilada et al., 2000). There are various plant-originated 'gastro-protectors' with different composition that have been used in clinical and folk medicine in many countries due to their beneficial effects on the mucosa of GIT.

"In China and Japan, polyphenol extracts such as Sopharadin extracts, containing flavonoids and its synthetic flavonoid derivative known as Solon are widely employed in peptic ulcer therapy and also as food additives and nutritional supplements, mainly because of their strong inhibition of prostaglandin metabolism and vaso-constrictive leukotriene inhibition (Kyogoku et al., 1979).

"The phytochemical screening of the plant extract of Syzygium aromaticum carried out by Jenkins et al.(1967) showed that it contains alkaloids, amino acids, flavonoids, proteins, sterols, reducing sugars, tannins and phenols. Another study by Magaji and Yaro (2006b) revealed the presence of tannins, resins, steroid glycosides, alkaloids and flavonoids.

"Flavonoids have anti-inflammatory activity and protect the gastric mucosa against a variety of ulcer-ogenic agents in different mammalian species (Harborne and Williams, 2000). As a result, many studies have examined the anti-ulcer-ogenic activities of plants containing flavonoids using either naturally derived or synthetic compounds. Plants containing flavonoids were found to be effective in preventing this kind of lesion, mainly because of their antioxidant properties (Cody et al., 1986; Harborne and Williams, 2000).

"Recently, the antioxidant activity of flavonoids has attracted interest because of the strong evidence that oxidation processes are involved in the mechanisms of several gastric disorders, including ulcer-ogenesis (La Casa et al., 2000).

"It can therefore be speculated that the anti-ulcer activity of SaBuOH extract against indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal damage may be attributable to the high content of flavonoids in the extract. The exact mechanism of action of the extract remains unclear, but may involve an action on biosynthesis and metabolism of prostaglandins, and mucus in the gastric mucosa (Motilva et al., 1994. In addition, the SaBuOH extract decreased the volume and acid output of gastric secretion, as reported from our study. This effect may contribute to its gastric mucosal protective activity."

Meanwhile, scientists at the University of Manchester even carried out the test on different types of potatoes - discovering Maris Piper and King Edward varieties worked the best.

The process to extract the as yet unnamed molecule has now been patented, with hopes it could one day be sold as a supplement similar to probiotic yoghurt drinks.

Ian Roberts, professor of microbiology at the Faculty of Life Sciences, who worked on the discovery, said, 'one of our scientists was having Sunday lunch when her boyfriend's grandma said they used to use potatoes to cure stomach ulcers.

"Afterwards she went and bought a bag of King Edwards from a shop on Curry Mile and started testing them in the lab."

'When I first heard about the idea of using potatoes to treat stomach ulcers I have to admit I was a bit sceptical. But on another level I wasn't surprised - a lot of botanical products have very interesting compounds and we just have to find them.

"We see this 'potato juice' as a preventative measure to stop stomach ulcers developing that people would take as part of a healthy lifestyle. It could be a huge market if we can get it developed."

The discovery of 'potato juice' is just one of a number of new medicines and treatments being developed by staff at the University of Manchester's intellectual property department.

By: Sopeju Bidex

[Nifemi Donald]

It is a very important food for all i can testify to that

[Tina lawrence]

Ulcer is very disturbing to so many people in the society,this would be good news to those suffering from it

[KingFemzee]

Great discovery i must say, i always love it when food and fruits in particular are used as medicinal agents to cure ailments.

[Sunexx360]

Its so gud to hear this wonderful tips